This invention relates generally to systems for containing and identifying a plurality of samples and more specifically relates to medical analysis systems for identifying and analyzing multiple unique medical samples.
Those skilled in the art of medical-sample analysis are concerned with being able to identify the source from which a medical sample is taken throughout several procedures which are performed on the sample. These procedures may, or may not, require the sample to be transferred from one container to another. This concern by those skilled in the art is amplified when a vast number of samples are being simultaneously or sequentially analyzed. The need for maintaining the integrity of the identification of each sample is particularly acute when the results of the analysis have a potentially significant impact on a patient from which such a sample is taken. For example, if a patient sample is being analyzed to determine a method of treatment for a particular patient who is gravely ill, an error in identification of the sample during analysis may result in the death of the patient. In other instances, literally thousands of samples may be needed to be analyzed. In such instances, the need for a simple method of maintaining the integrity of the identification of each individual sample may be acute simply due to the vast number of unique samples being analyzed. An instance in which vast numbers of unique samples are to be analyzed exists in a blood bank environment. Typically blood banks are required to test each blood sample received to determine the presence or absence of hepatitis antigens. It is anticipated that in the future, blood banks will also be required to test each blood sample received for the presence or absence of an HTLV-III (Human T-Lymphotropic Virus, Type III) antibody which is known to be present when a patient has been exposed to the virus which is known to cause Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, commonly known as AIDS.
In each of the preceding examples, it is highly desirable to be able to use a system which is very simple, from the operator's viewpoint, to transfer a blood sample or other material sample from one container to another without losing the identification of the source of the sample. Various systems have been developed in the past for transferring multiple samples and for identifying location positions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,006 issued Aug. 20, 1974 to Chaffin, III et al., describes a patient-identification system. In this system, each patient receives a label representing a first unique random number. This number identifies the individual patient. When a blood, or other sample is taken from the patient, it is placed in a container that is labeled with a second unique random number. These numbers are machine readable and are fed into a computer for storage. If it is necessary to transfer the sample from the container into a subcontainer, the subcontainer is labeled with a third unique random number which is also fed into the computer. When an analysis is performed on the sample, the results of the analysis are also fed into the computer so that they may be correlated with the individual patient's identity. Such a system is useful in hospitals for collecting various samples from multiple patients for a variety of purposes.
Another system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,444, issued Aug. 28, 1973, to Ure at al. This system describes an automatic sampling and reading equipment and method for use in supplying biological samples to an automatic analyzer and in correlating test results from the automatic analyzer with the identity of the patient providing the sample. The equipment successively indexes, or moves, a tray of containers. Each container has a biological specimen therein. The equipment indexes the containers to a sampling station where a probe withdraws a sample of a desired amount of specimen. The equipment then indexes the container to a reading station where an encoded identification plate affixed adjacent to the container is electronically read. The samples are then delivered to an automatic analyzer which tests each sample. The output of the test results from the automatic analyzer, in the form of a strip chart, is correlated with a printout of the patient identification indicia sensed at the reading station so that the results of the test are properly related back to the correct patient from whom a specimen was originally taken.
Another system of interest is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,560 issued Nov. 27, 1973 to Ebeling et al. This system is used to identify grid positions on a display device. In this system, a crossed light beam position encoder including x and y coordinate arrays of paired infrared light sources and detectors is described. These arrays cover a display device surface with x-and y-axis crossed light beams. A scanning means is coupled to the sources and detectors for electronically sequentially scanning the x-and-y axis rays so that only one source is emitting light and its associated detector is detecting light at any particular time. Means are included for noting the digital address of the beams during sequential scanning and for stopping the scan when the beams are interrupted. The digital address and, therefore, the position of the broken beams are transferred back to a computer.
While each of these systems described above has some usefulness in particular situations, it is desirable to be able to provide a system for handling multiple samples that is capable of detecting and possibly preventing various sample transfer errors which are likely to occur. For example, it is desirable to be able to provide a system which will warn against placing more than one sample in a single analyzer container. It is also desirable to be able to invalidate any test analysis results from a particular sample well if the well has been contaminated or otherwise invalidated due to a variety of causes.